Improvement in hubs for vehicle-wheels



l. RIDGE.

lmprovement in Hubs fer Vehicle Wheels.

Patented July 30,1872

lellll F'jn 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOsEPH RIDGE, OE RICHMOND, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN HUBS FOR VEHICLE-WHEELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 130,075, dated July 30, 1872.

Specification describing certain Improvements in Carriage-Hubs, invented by JOSEPH RIDGE, of Richmond, in the county of Wayne and State of Indiana.

My invention relates to a manner of securing in position anges of carriage-hubs, or of securing together the sections of a hub should the latter be composed of more than one piece. The object of my invention is to dispense with rigid metallic connections between the anges or parts as heretofore in use, and, at the same time, preserve sufficient strength to make a durable hub; the metallic connections being objectionable, especially in light carriages, because of the result of said rigidity being communicated to the rim of the wheel, whereby the tenons entering the fellies are soon damaged by usage, and to other portions of the carriage, whereby jarring and damage are caused. My manner of tying the anges or sections is also such that in the event of the spokes becoming loose and the tire being reset, by which said spokes are forced further into the hub, the result is to draw said lian ges or sections' together, and thus more firmly bind the faces of the spokes, the parts being so constructed to produce this result, as hereinafter set forth,

as to make said flanges or section self-tightendiate positions between those of the other. Recesses c are formed around the face of each ian ge, which become seats for the enlargements or shoulders B. The spaces between the T-heads or enlargements forming the shoulders are such as to allow shoulders of opposite flanges to pass each other in bringing them together endwise of the lugs.

In case of flanges being used the two are brought together on the hub until they occupy such a position with the relation to each other that the faces of the shoulders are slightly inward from the faces of the anges, as shown in Fig. l; the spokes being somewhat tapering on one or both of their-faces, it is apparent that the further in the spokes are driven the tighter the flanges are drawn until the shoulders are forced back flush with the faces of the anges.

The same plan, so far as. elasticity is concerned, at least, may be applied without using the spokes to tie the flanges. For instance, the T-heads or shoulders may be shortened, so that the lugs or projections A of opposite flanges may be arranged in pairs, each pair between spokes., with space enough between each lug of said pair to admit of the insertion of a key of wood or other material more elastic than metal.

What I' claim is- The lugs or projections A provided with shoulders so that the anges or sections may be keyed together by means of the spokes or intermediate keys, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth. JOSEPH RIDGE.

Witnesses: A

SAMUEL C. BROWN, ETHAN C. KELLY. 

